Reality Check

In the aftermath of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly and the, uh, "debriefing" that is happening on several groups and e-mail lists of which I am a part, a colleague with Lutheran CORE included this line in a Sunday afternoon post:

However, God granted me a reality check this morning.

To which I replied (and sent to others):

Same here -- except I was in my pulpit when it happened. I was describing my response to Bishop Hanson's question to those of us still around at the CWA's end, "What is the first thing you'll say when people ask you, 'What happened at the Churchwide Assembly?'"

You can find a brief narrative/pictoral version of what I did later homiletically posted late last night on my blog. Or at least what I tried to do homiletically. For you see, the moment I got to the climax of describing what happened during the moment of silence/prayer for church unity at the microphone I was monitoring (go ahead, read it)...

....

...I lost it. My voice choked, and my eyes overflowed with tears. Now in 15 years of ordained ministry, I've had a few (okay, very few) powerfully emotional moments in the chancel or pulpit. I've had to take a deep breath in order to complete a difficult/painful sentence or thought, particularly at a couple of funerals. But I'd never just lost it like this.

And it wasn't out of despair, or anger, or disappointment—all of which I have—at what happened at the CWA. It was out of HOPE. And the fierce calling that the ELCA must be united, and must be united in the Faith.

We're not there. It may be a long time before we are. We'll have to work hard and in ways we are not used to working. And the things we will have to experience will hurt like hell.

But speaking for myself, I have no other choice. This is where I have been called and this is where I will stay.

After a long, long moment, I was composed enough to finish my description. Then came the texts for today: "Do not be afraid." "Have no fear, little flock." I pointed to the cross, resurrection, and ascension. I pointed to the Eucharist of which we were about to partake, the very Body and Blood of the living Christ.

To those of you for whom this CWA appears to have crossed a line, I plead you to not abandon the faithful in the ELCA. Walk with us, instead. Speak with us. Pray with us.

Pax et bonum, Steven+

Highlight of the Assembly

By an action of the Churchwide Assembly, Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson was directed to pause during the discussion on the memorials (that is, resolutions to the Churchwide Assembly from Synod Assemblies) related to homosexuality every 20 minutes for a moment of silent prayer and reflection to be followed by him leading the Assembly in prayer for the unity of the church.

For a couple of plenary sessions, I was monitor at the front, center microphone (#4), responsible for enabling those opposed to the motion on the floor -- which during that particular debate meant those would didn't want those memorials referred to the Sexuality Task Force -- to be identified on the video screens and those speakers to be heard. As you might guess, we microphone monitors (12 for each session) were kept quite busy during that discussion, which was spread out over several plenary sessions during the week.

That moment of silent prayer happened once when I was monitor at #4. Those waiting to speak had been standing in line for some time, with some running back and forth to their seats to vote in the midst of parliamentary wrangling. Thus far only one person, pro referral (that would be microphone #3), had managed to speak from my station.

Then came the call to pause. And the young layman at the front of #3 (the pro-referral line) reached out his hand to the pastor at the head of #4 (the anti-referral) line, who accepted and, suddenly, the two sides were, as you see, together in prayer. I was nearly in tears, but managed to sneak this photo as a press photographer did the same from another perspective.

This church, like others in the US and in other lands, is deeply divided over gay pastors and the blessing of gay relationships. But many on both sides are also deeply hopeful that the ELCA will remain united as one church.

And it should be our fervent prayer, that we remain united as one church with the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Observations from the CWA

Greetings from the ELCA Church-wide Assembly floor. Okay, the photo is from the floor, me on duty as a microphone page. Right now we're in a recess and I have a few moments of internet access.

As I've written, the best sources for what's happening are the ELCA's own website and Forum Letter Editor Dick Johnson's reporting over at ALPB Forum Online.

Hopefully they'll offer it seperately as a video/DVD, but in this morning's (plenary session six) webcast you will find retiring ELCA Secretary' Lowell Almen's final Report to the CWA and it is a very personal, powerful tribute to the Church and his work in it. Recommended viewing.

Yesterday in his Report, Presiding Bishop Hanson spoke of visiting a dying aunt. While standing watch, he noticed her lips moving and trying to speak. Quickly he figured out that she wasn't in any distress, however. Rather, she was reciting from memory Paul's Letter from the Philippians. The whole thing! Turns out she had memorized much of the Bible as a youth. Later when she was more lucid and they were conversing, she told her Presiding Bishop nephew that he should be making sure that ELCA pastors where having their youth memorize the Scriptures, for the comfort it would bring them at times like this (when they were unable to read).

"Oh," he replied, "the Presiding Bishop doesn't have that kind of power or authority in the ELCA. That's the responsibility of Synod Bishops."

As the CWA laughed, by my microphone Bishop Eaton from Ohio stood up at her chair and started pointing at the pastors in her synod's delgation: "You, you, you..."

Also yesterday afternoon in one of the "Dwelling in the Word" moments, former Bishop Marcus Miller, now president at Southern Seminary, told a wonderful the story of the family going through his father-in-law's things after his death, and finding a beautiful, leather, King James Bible, well-worn especially in the Psalms and New Testament. "What should we do with this?" his wife asked. Bp. Miller kept it, and uses it daily in his morning devotions, conscious that he is not doing them alone, but that he is praying with the Church, his Father-in-law, and all the saints of the past and present. Try to catch that in yesterday afternoon's session, just prior to the Quasi-Committee of the Whole discussion on memorials related to homosexuality.

But then there's the "Justice for Women" report, that sounded like it came out of 1972. The director fairly demanded that all sort of theologies, including "womanist," be part of the ELCA's "Mainstream."

All in all, I'm having a good time working, meeting and re-meeting old friends and colleagues. But the major controversies have yet to be discussed much. Now, back to my station for the afternoon.

Keep praying for us.

Remember this during the debate...

Okay, I just couldn't resist. Thanks to Touchstone's Mere Comments for pointing me into yet one more helpful (okay, they describe it as "brutal") direction.

For more similarly inclined, uh, motivational posters click here. It's a good thing these weren't around when I was in seminary....

Pre-Assembly Message from Lutheran CORE

"Our first and most important request is prayer."

My ability to include any further messages from Lutheran CORE—Coalition for Reform during the ELCA Churchwide Assembly will depend upon my ability to go online. I expect, however, that if CORE issues any messages during the week, you will be able to find them on its CORE Newsletters page or its News & Discussion pages (aka the LC3 Blog).

And in addition to the ELCA's own coverage, check out the full CWA coverage and commentary at ALPB Online. Now, the message.

Lutheran CORE Newsletter 1.1
August 5, 2007

Lutheran CORE has been actively preparing for the Churchwide Assembly in Chicago August 6-11. Information regarding the assembly both encourages and discourages us, but we believe that Christ is still Lord of His Church and in the end he will answer the prayers of his faithful people among our congregations, pastors, and bishops. We also realize that many people disagree with us in good faith, and we pray for God's loving wisdom to guide all of us.

Our first and most important request is prayer. Whether or not you are in Chicago, please pray for Bishop Hanson and Secretary Almen, all the voting members, the Lutheran CORE steering committee members, and many dedicated CORE members and friends who have paid their own way to be in Chicago working on your behalf, and also for those sisters and brothers in Christ who are working for agendas we believe are wrong.

Sexuality Memorials

A key strategy of Goodsoil and Lutherans Concerned, the groups working to change policies regarding homosexuality, is to use this assembly to begin a process of rescinding the rules that prohibit active homosexuals from serving as pastors and that discourage blessings of same-sex relationships. While no more synods are asking for this change than addressed the 2005 assembly, many faithful Lutherans assumed the issue was settled at Orlando and were not prepared to reconsider the issue this year. We believe it is dishonest and deceptive to raise the issue again before the report of the Task Force on Sexuality in 2009, and we support the recommendation of the Memorials Committee to refer all sexuality proposals to the task force.

Lutheran CORE believes using such tactics to initiate a change of policy this year will fragment the ELCA. We see this happening among our Full Communion partners the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church, and the United Church of Christ, as many faithful members have become weary of the constant attacks on what they have believed on the basis of the Bible.

Ultimately, we do not believe we have the right as Christians to vote on whether or not we will accept the clear teachings of Holy Scripture. Especially when an overwhelming majority of Christians through the ages and across the world have understood the texts of the Bible regarding same-sex relationships in their plain sense, we have to say, "our conscience is captive to the Word of God; unless we are convinced by clear Scripture and evident reason therefrom, we cannot and will not recant."

Retired Bishops Speak

Pastor Paull Spring, chair of Lutheran CORE and retired bishop of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod, wrote an open letter to Bishop Hanson on behalf of CORE, in which he objected "strenuously" to a public announcement by Bishop Margaret Payne, of the New England Synod, that she would preside at a service of Holy Communion apart from the assembly agenda at which defrocked pastor Bradley Schmeling would be the preacher. Schmeling was removed as a pastor after he announced publicly that he is in a relationship with another man.

We object to using the Means of Grace, God's Holy Word and the Sacrament of the Altar, as tools to further political ends on behalf of Goodsoil and their allies. In his letter, Spring asks whether Bp. Payne should not resign as an act of integrity if she as bishop cannot support the official policies of the church and whether her action is a matter of discipline.

Bishop Emeritus George Mocko, retired bishop of the Delaware-Maryland Synod, wrote an open letter expressing his concerns about the way we seem to be asked to read the Bible in the ELCA, in order to overturn the Scriptural admonitions against homosexuality. "We are preparing to sell our birthright as the foremost biblical theologians of the west for the pottage of this culture's approval," Mocko writes.

You can read both letters in full at the website shared by Lutheran CORE and Lutheran Churches of the Common Confession, www.commonconfession.net/COREnewset.htm. Both were posted in July.

Gathering in September: Where do we go from here?

Regardless of what happens in Chicago, Lutheran CORE intends to stay and remain a voice for those ELCA members who wish to remain faithful to the Word of God and our Lutheran Confessions. Of course, it is possible that at some point after 2009 many will need to re-evaluate whether they can be faithful to Christ and still remain within this denomination; we are working and praying that such agonizing decisions will not be necessary.

We will gather on Friday, September 28, from 10 to 4 in Lindenhurst, Illinois (near Chicago), to hear reflections and reports from James Nestingen, Robert Benne, and Paull Spring. Please join us. A flyer can be downloaded from our website at: http://www.commonconfession.net/PDFs/COREgathering.pdf or by emailing prsteveshipman@gmail.com.

Pass It On

We urge you to copy and distribute this newsletter electronically and on paper to people who share our concerns with the undermining of Scriptural authority in the ELCA, the replacement of the revealed Name of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in many worship and educational resources, and the devaluing of God's plan for human community centered around the faithful marriage of a man and a woman. We also seek to elect faithful leaders across the ELCA who will uphold "the faith once delivered to the saints."

As always, we solicit your prayers and welcome your financial contributions. We are grateful that for now the WordAlone Network, a member of our Coalition for Reform, provides administrative support to Lutheran CORE. Donations in any amount (deductible as permitted by law) may be sent to Lutheran CORE, c/o WordAlone Network, 2299 Palmer Drive, Suite 220, New Brighton, MN 55112. Please make checks payable to WordAlone Network, and write "Lutheran CORE" on the memo line.

And if you have not seen or signed on to our Scripture statement (to which Bishop Emeritus Mocko refers in his letter), it is on the same website, at www.commonconfession.net/COREscriptset.htm. Please add your signature to the many who already support us.

A lot of helpful links and articles are included both on the http://www.commonconfession.net/ website and on http://www.wordalone.org/ and we urge you to become informed on viewpoints you may not learn from official ELCA sources.

If you have questions, please check our website or contact us.

And if you're at the Churchwide Assembly in Chicago, look us up at the Hyatt Regency Grand Suite 3. We'll try to have it staffed by somebody much of the time.

Pr. W. Stevens Shipman, Secretary
prsteveshipman@gmail.com
PO Box 64
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania 17745

A Bishop's (Final?) Pastoral Letter

Continuing a long story that I've covered on this blog, this is from the website of the Southeastern Synod, ELCA:

August 2, 2007

A Pastoral Letter regarding the Bradley Schmeling disciplinary case and St. John's Lutheran Church, Atlanta, GA

Dear friends in Christ,

After much prayer, it is my decision not to take any further action regarding the Bradley Schmeling disciplinary case and/or any action against St. John's Lutheran Church, Atlanta, GA. A few days ago I shared this decision with Bishop-elect H. Julian Gordy and this evening shared the news with St. John’s Executive Committee and Bradley.

As most of you know, I will be leaving the Office of Bishop of the Southeastern Synod August 31, 2007. I have requested that St. John’s leadership be in contact with Bishop-elect Gordy, who assumes office September 1, 2007.

In the blessed name of the risen Lord Jesus,

Ronald B. Warren
Bishop
ELCA-Southeastern Synod

Well, I suppose it would have been a bit much for an outgoing Bishop to begin conversations with a parish whose pastor is no longer eligible to serve it. Prayers for Bishop-elect Gordy are in order.

Here Comes the Churchwide Assembly!

The ELCA's Tenth Biennial Churchwide Assembly will be called to order this Monday afternoon at the Navy Pier in Chicago. Pastor Zip will be there as a volunteer -- my chief assignment appears to be as a microphone page on the Assembly Floor, where it will be my job to make sure speakers are properly identified (for the video screens and webcast) and heard by the rest of the Assembly. It's all the fun of being right smack in the middle of things, while having none of the responsibilty for taking part in the decisions.

There's some important business happening there. Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson's 6-year term is concluding and he had made it clear last fall that he would be, uh, available for a second term. While some in the ELCA have not been pleased by his leadership, his re-election is expected. Every ELCA pastor on the roster of ministers is eligible to be nominated, but there is a strong ethos in our church against appearing to be "running for bishop." The WordAlone Network's Pr. Jaynan Clark Egland commented on that last spring in her "Let those hats fly!" article.

There she notes that, "If I were to get enough support in the first few ballots to make a speech or entertain questions at the churchwide assembly, then at least the concerns of WordAlone will have been presented openly." I've been saying much the same since before the formation of Lutheran CORE, that we needed to identify a candidate who could at least get enough votes to make sure that our key issues,

• the need to affirm the authority of the Word of God within and throughout our church;
• preserving in teaching and worship the biblical name for the triune God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
• our concern to elect leaders (both synodical and churchwide) who will guide us in faithful witness and mission;
• and our profound concern over changes in doctrine and practice regarding marriage and sexuality

would come up for discussion during the election, rather than continue to be quietly ignored by this church's leadership. We'll see what happens.

While there will be elections for all sorts of other offices, including the ELCA Church Council, the key election (presuming Bishop Hanson's re-election) will be for the next ELCA Secretary, whose office is much more powerful that it might first appear -- for the Secretary serves as the chief interpreter of the ELCA's Constitution, by-laws, policies, etc. Pr. Lowell Almen, who has held that office since the ELCA's formation, announced last fall that is retiring. My personal take on the Secretary's election is that, regardless of what Pr. Almen has actually done in office (his critics note a devotion to the "letter of the law"), he has had a (so-to-speak) "power base" that is independent of the Presiding Bishop, something that has been particularly needful as more and more power and authority within the ELCA have been placed in the office of our Presiding Bishop, who is a resourceful, intelligent, dynamic, and charismatic leader. If the new Secretary is "Mark Hanson's man" (or woman), there will be no curb or brake on his leading this church into just another liberal protestant denomination. If the new Secretary is independent of the Presiding Bishop, then there can be at 8765 W. Higgins Road an office that is not automatically at his beck-and-call. And right now, that seems to be the most traditionalist, orthodox, conservative ELCAers can hope for.

There will be more: the "Book of Faith" Initiative (on which I've blogged); "reception" of the deeply-flawed Evangelical Lutheran Worship book; adoption of the widely-ignored, virtually unknown social statement on education; declaring full communion with 2 more provinces of the Moravian Chruch in America; memorials (resolutions) from the Synods; and host of other matters. Details here.

The media will, of course, concentrate largely on one matter. As one reads in today's Chicago Tribune:

Prompted by the sudden dismissal of a popular Atlanta pastor in a committed same-sex relationship, impatient supporters of gay clergy will push an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America assembly in Chicago next week to stop its navel-gazing and lift the celibacy requirement imposed on gay and lesbian pastors.

Almost a third of the church's synods, or regional governing bodies, have endorsed a proposal that would permit gay and lesbian pastors in committed relationships to serve congregations and would reinstate those who have been removed because of a same-sex relationship.

The resolution before 1,071 voting members at the biennial national assembly convening Monday comes two years before the church is scheduled to release a broader social statement on human sexuality.

Those who oppose the proposal but support gay clergy argue that a church policy based on the denomination's social statement would be worth the wait. Lutherans against ordaining gay clergy say supporters are asking the assembly to bless sin. A similar attempt to speed the decision was defeated at the last assembly two years ago.

Read here the entire (heavily slanted towards the pro-gay lobby -- to the point that it inaccurately says Brad Schmeling's "own bishop sprang to his defense" when actually Bishop Warren was the one who sought Schmeling's removal from office) article.

Actually, the ELCA's Churchwide leadership -- while, except for some on the Conference of Bishops, largely openly-committed to church blessings of homosexual unions and ending the (oft-ignored) rule against pastors in gay/lesbian relationships -- is making a mighty effort to refer all such action to the ELCA Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality which is working towards presenting a Social Statement to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. Grant Presiding Bishop Hanson with enough sense to recognize that most of the ELCA remains "not ready" to make such a move.

Now, if only he'd figure out that, since a theological case for blessing "committed homosexual relationships" could not be brought to the 2005 Churchwide Assembly -- despite every resource being made available to the sexuality Task Force -- the ELCA should never be ready to make such a move if she is to remain faithful. But that can be delayed for 2009.

While the media will likely follow antics of Goodsoil, the real Churchwide Assembly story will be the same one I first described (within earshot of a Forum Letter correspondent in 2003: It's the Mark Hanson Show! Watch it here, or listen to it here, or ("Extra! Extra!") read all about it.

Or even better, catch the on-the-spot coverage from Forum Letter editor Pr. Richard Johnson.